Classrooms unsafe to teach in

[Guest guest]

Collier

Classrooms unsafe to teach in

Herald Sun - Melbourne City,Australia

November 13, 2008 12:00am

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24643660-2862,00.html

VICTORIAN schoolchildren are being taught in potentially dangerous

classrooms riddled with mould, termites and rotting windows.

Hundreds of deteriorating state schools are neglected because of a

lack of funds, principals say.

The comments follow the release of an official report warning poorly

maintained buildings could pose a " serious safety risk " .

Auditor-General Des Pearson's review, tabled in Parliament

yesterday, revealed most schools were outdated and unsuitable for

learning.

Schools had been short-changed $217 million over seven years because

of rising repair costs.

The Government has pledged record amounts to rebuild, renovate or

extend all 1600 state schools in the decade to 2017.

Almost $2 billion has been committed this term.

Education Minister Bronwyn Pike said the Government was " on the

right track " and had doubled investment to improve conditions.

Horror stories relayed to the Herald Sun include:

A SCHOOL wing shut for several weeks because of toxic mould.

CRUMBLING floors infested with termite damage.

ROTTING windows that must be kept shut so they won't fall out and

cause injury.

The Auditor-General said said most of the schools were hastily built

with " lesser quality " materials in the 1950s and 1970s to cope with

population booms.

The School Buildings: Planning, Maintenance and Renewal report

said: " In the worst cases, poorly maintained buildings may present a

serious safety risk and become unusable. "

Australian Education Union state president Bluett said schools

had suffered from several decades of neglect.

She said research showed inadequate surrounds could hamper students'

learning.

The Auditor-General praised the Government's plan to revamp schools

statewide and its research to better allocate funds.

But he criticised a lack of openness over how schools gained

priority for building projects, and found some schools with big

maintenance backlogs missed out.

n Association of Secondary School Principals head

Burgess said many schools would have to wait years for redevelopment.